The road to finding the perfect college can be a long and winding one for students, parents, family and friends alike. When it comes to ensuring that their children reach their full potential, parents are faced with a number of different challenges. Part of this includes navigating through the competitive world of sports and academics to find the relationship that will best fit both the student and the university. Parents do research, dedicate time and often make financial sacrifices to unlock and identify their children’s unique qualities. Students attend camps, go to schools and work with specialists to build a lucrative skill set with the hope that it will set them apart from the rest of the college applicant pool. Through these combined efforts, young people can build a brand for themselves that shows they are devoted, passionate, unique and motivated in their personal, academic and athletic pursuits.

Building Your Brand

Your brand is what sets you apart and differentiates you from every other applicant. In the University of California system alone, 45,000 qualified (4.0+ GPA and 2,200+ SAT scores) applicants for 10,000 freshman slots were received. So, how important is it for you to stand out? Extremely.

Despite being ingrained with the mantra of having to excel at every single activity you enroll in, a student who, instead, dedicates his or herself to what they are passionate about will have an advantage. Nobody expects you to master everything you try but what will make you a candidate for a Tier 1 school is a resume of unique and significant experiences.

Admissions and the Pursuit of Happiness

University admissions officers are looking for students who challenge themselves. This means taking Honors and AP courses instead of taking standard courses that guarantee an “A”. It also means dedicating some of your summers to taking summer school classes at a local community college. In other words, it means stepping out of your comfort zone as you pursue your passions.

In terms of self-fulfillment and college admission, students who follow this path will stand out more. They will have developed a legitimate network of mentors, a unique set of skills and cultivated their passion. Whether it’s in the world of public service, journalism, speech and debate, sports or business — there are outlets for everybody — with the proper guidance and opportunities, you can find and settle into what makes you tick.

The importance of finding those things for which you have a genuine interest is essential. The main point to consider is your true motive for self-improvement and self-discovery. It’s not for the fame, getting into a Division I college or even to win every game. You devote yourself to something because you have an actual passion for it. It is something from which you will grow, mature and gain confidence from. As a result, the payoff – whether in the form of a college acceptance, scholarship or win – should be secondary because the greatest reward will come from the fact you are pursuing something that makes you happy.

The Academics

Getting into the right college starts with a strong academic foundation and a willingness to take responsibility for your academic curriculum. Making the right choices for college requires research, planning and direct involvement. It is not the responsibility of a counselor, friend, or relative to decide. That responsibility is yours. Students who aspire to attend prestigious schools should be willing to take on the challenge of advanced courses (AP, IB, Honors), sign up for classes at a community college, and take no less than 4 years of English, Math, Science, Social Science and Foreign Language. Taking these classes shows a desire to achieve above and beyond the norm. More importantly, taking advantage of these academically stimulating programs will provide you with an early college experience, giving you an understanding of the increased pace and competitiveness of college course work.

The Athletics

Athletes who are dedicated or aspire to compete in college need to keep certain things in mind as they progress towards the infamous signing day. Finding yourself and your brand is one thing, but it’s also important not to lose sight of the logistical side of things. In order to be considered by Tier 1 colleges and universities in the US, you must be prepared to take the most rigorous curriculum available at your high school. If you plan to play sports competitively in college, it is very important to map out a four-year high school academic plan.

Starting in high school, it is crucial to draft a game plan in each of the five core disciplines: English, Math, Social Science, Science and Foreign Language. This must be done to avoid any issues on the backend when attempting to become an NCAA student-athlete. The NCAA requires a rigorous core curriculum for students, and it’s important that you meet all of the academic qualifications.

The NCAA Clearinghouse.

Before your junior year, you should visit www.ncaaclearinghouse.com. The Clearinghouse is the data repository that determines if a student is a qualifier, partial qualifier or non-qualifier for participating in college athletics. When you register with the Clearinghouse, you will need to send a high school transcript that includes six semesters of grades and your SAT/ACT scores. These official documents will help the Clearinghouse create your GPA (based on NCAA-approved classes). Remember to always stay aware of the regulations and what is needed to compete in college. You’re investing a lot in your academics and your athletics. Make sure you don’t neglect to complete the NCAA’s mandated checklist. Your Ultimate Goal As an athlete you have an intrinsic advantage in the college admissions game.

You are already devoted to pursuing an activity you love and have sacrificed a lot of time, money and energy towards becoming the best athlete that you can be. The college process is very much the same. Your ultimate goal — select a college that makes you happy, challenges you and leads you to a fulfilling life — demands that you continue to act with the same degree of diligence and fortitude.

By focusing on and defining yourself, you will be able to create a unique brand that makes you stand out from the rest of the pack. The road to finding the perfect college can be a scenic, tree-lined wonder… and it can be one on which you find fulfillment, success and happiness, as long as you are prepared as Elena, one of clients, discovered;

Hi Rick,
Just thought I would give you a little update. I was accepted at Johns Hopkins and shockingly received a full-tuition merit scholarship as one of only 2 (!!!) Charles R. Westgate Scholars in Engineering. I can go back next month at their expense to tour and meet people. I also just found out that I am in to Rice. I was rejected at MIT and wait listed at CalTech. And, as you know, on Friday I am off to Duke for four days as a Robertson Scholarship Finalist. I am pretty happy with how it is all playing out so far. Looking forward to meeting on the 1st and sorting stuff out.
Thanks, Elena

An effective coach working with a passionate high school student can have a significant impact on their pre and post college experience preparing them for the rigors of college by creating a realistic admissions strategy based on truthful introspection, a strong personal brand, meaningful extra-curricular activities with an aggressive pursuit of test scores and grades.

The coaches of the KEY have been successfully preparing students for lives of merit by assuring them that they will be able to meet the challenges of academia and successfully leverage their passions into rewarding careers. Call us; 1.800.620.8085 to find out how the key can make the difference of a lifetime.

NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball produces a phenomemal force — so much so that one has to really take an inventory of what type of school one wants to attend. The passion and collegial nature that spreads from having a team in the “Big Dance” is amazing. It does not matter if you attend a small liberal arts school or a large public university the NCAA Tournament becomes the topic of conversation at the table in the dinning commons on campus.

When selecting the “right fit” college or university the geographic location, size of the classes, locale- urban, residential, college town or rural environment becomes a topic that discussion at this time of year and throughout the fall than any other time of the year. With 65 teams participating in the NCAA tournament on both the Men and Women’s side of the bracket it is interesting to look at how each of the locales, size of schools and classes and geographic positioning is represented in the 130 schools playing over the next three weeks.

The University of Kansas, U Kentucky, U Connecticut, U Tennessee, U Michigan, U Texas represent the college town environment where every Saturday in the fall is a life and death game and throughout the winter basketball steps to the forefront to push the envelope of hysteria. Schools like Villanova, Butler, Xavier, U Minnesota, U Washington represent medium and large schools in or around a major city, Cornell, Baylor, East Tennessee State and U Montana are more rural campuses but have survived by having the town revel in the college as a social and sports highlight. Then there are the small urban campuses: Swarthmore, Emerson, Pace University, that thrive in a major city with all the energy and trappings that comes with living in a big city.

Based on the results of the first week of the Men’s Tournament it does not matter the size of a school or the locale but the heart and soul of the coaches, players and fans that follow the teams. Wouldn’t be awesome to be sitting or in Duke fans approach jumping up and down the whole game cheering for your team during the NCAA Tournament throughout spring break. Some students want this type of atmosphere and others want a lower key approach.

What I have found over the 25 years of coaching students and their families to find the right fit school it has become apparent that those students who want a small school setting have blossomed if their school was near or in a city. After indulging in great discussions and getting to know all the professors and students on campus these very stimulated young adults are always looking for the next opportunity to grow as people. By being near a big city the opportunities for internships or jobs during a student’s undergraduate years especially the final two years is paramount. When a student attended a small school in a rural setting they enjoyed the experience but had to go abroad to experience more than what had become the norm on campus day after day. Those that attended a large college in a college town were absorbed with the fire and flash of tradition that was embodied by those who attended before them but also felt like by junior year they needed to spread their wings. At least in that college town there were research opportunities and way still be engaged in the towns business community which helped.

No matter your choice for the right fit college or university. The approach to finding the right fit is the same. You must ask yourself a couple of questions:
1. What geographic area of the country do you want to be in?
2. What type of locale do you want to be in – Urban – USC, Temple, Boston U? Or residential near a big city – UCLA, Northwestern, Georgetown? Or a college town – Syracuse,  Ohio State, U of  Florida? or in a rural setting — Colgate, Wesleyan or Northern Iowa?
3. What size classes do I learn best in — small 1-20, medium 20-100, or large 101-500?
4. What majors does the school offer- is there flexibility to change majors?
5. What can we afford?

Just having the NCAA tournament flourish on both the Men’s and Women’s side opens up the door to so many schools that no one has ever heard of – There are more than 3,500 colleges and universities in the US. Spend some time taking an inventory of yourself and then search for the right fit.

Despite the enormous effort made to get into college, more than half of US students drop out in the first year. Of those that remain, half again change their major at least once with many changing two and three times before they graduate. When asked why a college admission coach is needed one only needs to look at the underlying causes that motivate these behaviors.

It is generally agreed that dropping out is the result of being ill prepared for the rigors of college studies. While a portion of those changing majors can be attributed to a lack of self-awareness, the remaining statistics point to stressed students taking less demanding courses to assure a degree.

An effective coach working with a passionate high school student can have a significant impact on their pre and post college experience preparing them for the rigors of college by creating a realistic admissions strategy based on truthful introspection,  a strong personal brand, meaningful extra-curricular activities with an aggressive pursuit of test scores and grades.

The coaches of the KEY have been successfully preparing students for lives of merit by assuring them that they will be able to meet the challenges of academia and successfully leverage their passions into rewarding careers. Call us at 800.620.8085 without obligation, to find out how the KEY can make the difference of a lifetime.